Baseball and softball type ball tee

ABSTRACT

A ball tee construction is provided having a base for supporting said construction in an upright manner and having a ball support for supporting a ball above the base. The base is constructed and arranged so that it will automatically collapse into a substantially flat configuration when the tee construction is overturned to thereby assure a person falling thereon will not be injured.

United States Patent [191 Tassone et al.

[4 1 Feb. 4, 1975 BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL TYPE BALL TEE [76] Inventors: Joseph V. Tassone, 2425 Rawnsdale Rd. Kettering 45440; James T. Candor, 5440 Cynthia Ln., Washington Township, Montgomery 5 A s i llii b.9319? Ohio [22] Filed: Jan. 2, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 320,280

[52] US. Cl 273/25, 273/210, 273/202 [51] Int. Cl A63b 69/40 [58] Field of Search 273/25, 26 R, 210

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,809,839 10/1957 Overbaugh 273/210 3/1960 Cowan 273/210 X 11/1962 Overbaugh 273/210 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerTheatrice Brown Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Candor, Candor & Tassone [57] ABSTRACT 10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL TYPE BALL TEE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The popularity of ball games such as baseball, softball, and the like, is well known; however, particularly with young children starting at roughly age 5, it is difficult to play these ball games because a pitcher and a catcher are required. At the above-mentioned age and even with some children as old as roughly l years of age, it is dangerous to have a catcher stand too close to a young batter swinging a bat because of the poor control which such batter has over the bat. Further, particularly in baseball, young pitchers do not have the ability or physical strength to consistently pitch a ball across home plate to assure that the game will progress at reasonable speed. In addition, with the increased number of arm injuries in recent years, such as socalled Little League elbow," it is desireable to reduce the pitching stress on the arms of young children.

Therefore, a modified form of baseball, popularly referred to as tee ball, has been introduced for young children and has had remarkable success. As the name suggests, the game is played with a ball supported on a tee and struck with a bat while the tee is placed on home plate of a regular ball diamond. The ball is usually supported at about waist height to enable the batter to make easy contact with the ball with a smooth, even swing.

With this arrangement the pitcher is not required to pitch the ball and in actual play is required to keep one foot on the pitching rubber until a batter hits the ball, whereupon he may move away from the rubber to field the ball or otherwise assist in defensive play. Similarly, the catcher is required to stand a considerable distance away from the tee on home plate (and a swinging bat) where he is less likely to be injured by the batter. Once the ball is hit, the catcher assumes the normal defensive role of a catcher.

Generally the basic rules which govern play in major league baseball, as played in the United States, apply to tee ball, with modifications such as mentioned above to enable use of a tee. In addition, for young boys the bases are usually 60 feet apart in the usual diamond pattern and the pitchers rubber is 45 feet from home plate.

In most instances the infield positions are the same as played by major league baseball teams; however, the outfield positions may vary in number from the usual 3 to as many as 5, where it is desired to allow participation by more players. Also, to prevent a particular team from remaining at bat too long, limitations are usually placed as to the number of batters that may bat in a given inning and this number is usually the number of players on the team. Thus, with teams of 11 players each, once the eleventh player comes to bat and regardless of the number of outs prior to that time, after the ball is in play as the result of the eleventh batters action, all action and scoring are stopped merely by playing the ball home and tagging home plate.

Tee ball games may vary in length to suit local situations; however, they are usually six innings in length, and a complete six inning game with the home team batting in the sixth may be completed usually within roughly 1 and b hours.

It will be appreciated that in order for tee ball to be successful it is necessary to have a tee that a young batter will not be afraid to hit with a regular baseball bat because it might sting his hands. In addition, it is desirable that the tee be such that it supports the ball at a height, in the strike zone, where it may be easily hit with a level swing.

It is of extreme importance that the tee be safe. Preferably, the tee should be constructed so that it may be easily knocked down and once knocked down it should be constructed so that it will not injure a young player sliding thereacross or falling thereon. Therefore, such tee should have a supporting base which provides support for the tee and a ball resting thereon during normal use; however, it should have a base and column which is easily collapsible or flattened. Further, the base and upstanding column of such tee should be free of rigid projections, particularly metallic projections which would cause wounds if a player were to fall thereon.

Numerous tees have been proposed heretofore and such tees include both homemade tees and those designed and manufactured for tee ball. In general, many previously proposed tees are unsafe for children and the manufactured tees are also too expensive. For example, one common tee is comprised of a plumbers helper having a rubber base and a wodden handle threadedly fastened thereon. A rubber hose is often attached concentrically around the wooden handle with a metal hose clamp of the automobile radiator type. However, with this type of tee the wooden column or handle portion is easily knocked out of the base. Further, such column usually breaks and splinters, producing pieces which could injure a player; and, obviously, the wooden portion of the handle within a rubber hose does not allow it to collapse. In addition, the metal hose clamps used with such a tee have numerous projections which are very dangerous.

Other tees in current use are made substantially of metal and include metal bases and metal column portions which may have a rubber hose section for supporting the ball. These tees are especially undesirable because a young batter will invariably hit the metal column, damage his bat, and often injure his hands. Also, most of these tees with metal columns have pins projecting therefrom which are used to adjust the height of the column and these pins are very dangerous.

Still other tees proposed heretofore provide a rigid home plate, having the usual configuration, fixed to the base of a metal column. These tees once knocked over (as they routinely are) are hazardous because they hold the sharp pointed edges of home plate so that a person may fall thereon and be seriously injured.

SUMMARY This invention provides a safe, simple, and economical ball tee construction or ball tee which may be used by young children. The tee construction has a base for supporting said construction in an upright manner and has a ball support for supporting a ball above the base with the base being so constructed and arranged that it is adapted to automatically collapse into a substantially flat configuration when the tee construction is overturned.

Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the exemplary embodiments thereof presented in the following specification, claims, and drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The accompanying drawing shows present preferred embodiments of this invention, in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which two component parts of one exemplary embodiment of the ball tee of this invention may be made from a flat substantially rectangular sheet of suitable material;

FIG. 2 is a view of the two parts illustrated in FIG. I after they have been further processed by rounding certain corners thereof, defining ball supporting means thereon, and providing a plurality of openings to enable such parts to be suitably fastened together;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the parts of FIG. 2 suitably fastened together in a hinged manner at associated edges thereof to define a collapsible tee;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view. of the ball tee of FIG. 3 looking toward the rear thereof;

FIG. 5 shows the tee of FIGS. 3 and 4 in its automatically collapsed condition after having been overturned;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating another exemplary embodiment of a ball tee or ball tee construction of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a view taken essentially on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating the ball tee of FIG. 6 with the base thereof in its automatically collapsed condition following overturning thereof; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating another embodiment of the tee of this invention made from a single piece of material.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS Reference is now made to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing which illustrate one exemplary embodiment of a ball tee construction or ball tee of this invention which is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The ball tee 10 is comprised of two substantially identi cal parts each designated generally by the reference numeral 11 which are hinged together, i.e., fastened together in a hinged manner, at adjacent edges 12 thereof whereby such parts are adapted to fold together at their adjacent edges into a substantially flat configuration, as illustrated at 13 in FIG. 5, once such tee isoverturned.

The tee 10 has a base which is designated generally by the reference numeral 14 and the base 14 in this example is defined by the lower portions of the parts 11. The base 14 is particularly adapted to support the tee 10 in an upright manner on an associated support or support structure and in FIGS. 3 and 4 the tee 10 is shown being supported on the top planar surface of home plate 15 of a ball diamond.

The tee 10 has a ball support which is designated generally by the reference numeral 16 for supporting a ball 18 above the base 14 and in this example such ball support is defined by the upper ends of members 11 which are preferably made as arcuate end edges 17.

To define the tee 10, the flat parts 11 are adapted to be arranged vertically, disposed at an angle 20 relative to each other, and the adjacent edges 12 thereof fastened together by fasteners 21. To enable each fasteners 21 to be installed in position, each member 11 has a pair of openings 22 and 23 provided in its upper and lower portions respectively. The upper openings 22 in members 11 are arranged in aligned relation and a fastener 21 extended therethrough and similarly the lower openings 23 in members 11' are arranged in aligned relation and another fastener 21 extended therethrough. The fasteners 21 readily allow the parts 11 to move flatly against each other in the event the tee I0 is overturned or knocked over.

The fasteners 21 may be of any suitable material and may be in the form of roughly C-shaped fasteners made of a deformable material such as metal whereupon each fastener 21 may be inserted through an associated set of openings and then deformed into position to define a smooth, closed, ring-like fastener. Each fastener 21 may also be in the form ofa nonrigid member. such as a string or the like, which may extend through an as sociated set of openings and be tied in position in the usual manner.

The tee 10 also has means for limiting the size of the angle 20 defined between the parts 11 when such parts are unfolded relative to each other at their adjacent side edges 12 and such means is in the form of a nonrigid fastening member, such as a string 24, which is readily ,collapsible. The, string 24 may be made of any suitable material and extends through openings 25 in members 11. The string 24 has a pair of knots 26 provided therein and each knot 26 is arranged outwardly of an associated member 11 so as to prevent enlargement of the angle 20 and hence the base 14 for the tee 10; however, the construction of the string 24 is such that once the tee 10 is knocked over it will allow the parts 11 to be urged flatly against each other as illustrated at 13 in FIG. 5.

It may be desirable to provide a tee 10 which may be variable in its fixed height to suit a particular batter; and, to enable this to be accomplished each member 11 may have a plurality of arcuate marks or lines 32 provided thereon so that a user of the tee l0 may'readily cut along corresponding lines on each member 11 to vary the overall height of the height of the tee l0 and hence the position at which the ball 13 is supported thereon. However, it wil be appreciated that for young batters ranging in age from 5 through roughly 10 years, a particular tee height may be selected which is the average waist height for children in this age range and one tee having a fixed height could be used for an entire team. Further, where a batter wants his or her tee, the tee height may be individualized using marks 32.

The tee 10 may be made from any suitable material and is preferably made from any inexpensive nonmetallic material, such as, paper, cardboard, and elastomeric materials including natural rubber compounds,

synthetic rubber compounds, a plastic materials.

The tee 10 is of optimum simplicity and may be made inexpensively from a substantially flat rectangular sheet of material 33, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The rectangular sheet 33 may be used to define a pair of the two substantially flat parts merely by cutting away an opening in the sheet as indicated at 34 and continuing to slit the opposite edges of the sheet 33 as illustrated at 35 and 36. Once a pair of flat parts have been thus defined and to assure, for safety reasons, that sharp edges are eliminated the sharp edge 37 of each flat part is rounded to define a rounded edge 40 as illustrated at 40 in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example. The elongated portions or upper extensions of the flat parts are suitably cut to define the arcuate edges 17 and such upper extensions are also suitably marked to define the arcuates lines 32 previously described and the holes 22 and 23 are provided in the flat parts to complete the tee-defining parts 11.

In some applications of this invention, the fastening member or string 24 may be in the form of an elastic member which tends to exert a slight pull on members II toward each other; however, the amount of force exerted by such an elastic member would be insufficient to pull such members together even with the tee supported on the smooth surface. Once a tee 10 having an elastic string 24 is knocked over, such string would tend to pull members 11 against each other even before the tee reaches a horizontal position to thereby assure that the tee 10 would assume the flat configuration illustrated in FIG. 5.

In some applications of this inventon it may be desirable to provide another member that may be in the form of a string 41, or the like, between the lower fastener 21 and the fastening member 24. The string 41 is preferably made of a brightly colored material which is readily visible and is used to help position or point the tee in a desired direction whereby a young batter may use the string 41 to assist such batter in placing his or her feet substantially parallel to the member 41 and thereby help the batter hit the ball 18 in such desired direction.

Another exemplary embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 of the drawing. The ball tee construction or ball tee illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 is very similar to the tee 10; therefore, such tee will be designated generally by the reference numeral 10A and parts of the tee 10A which are very similar to corresponding parts of the tee 10 will be designated by the same numeral as in the tee 10 also followed by the letter designation A and not described again. Only those component parts which are different from corresponding parts of the tee 10 will be designated by a new reference numeral also followed by the letter designation A and described in detail.

The tee 10A has a base 14A defined by two substantially flat parts 42A which have a comparatively small height 43A and rounded rear edges 44A. The tee 10A also has a ball support defined by an annular surface 16A at the top of the tee.

The tee 10A has an elongated flat strip 45A which is fastened between associated edges 46A of members 42A by a suitable fastening member such as a tie member or string 47A, see FIG. 7. The flat parts 42A, strip 45A, and tie member 47A are so constructed and fastened together that the flat parts are adapted to fold together at their adjacent edges against opposite surfaces of the elongated flat strip to a substantially flat configuration and as illustrated at 50A in FIG. 8.

The tee 10A also has a tubular member or tube 51A carried by the elongated flat strip 45A at the upper end portion thereof and the tubular member 51A has a top annular surface which defines the ball supporting surface I6A. The tubular member 51A comprising tee 10A is vertically adjustable to an infinite number of positions relative to the base 14A to enable the ball B carried thereon to be supported at a corresponding infinite number of positions. For this purpose the tubular member 51A has an inside diameter 53A which is correlated with the width indicated at 54A of the member 45A so that once the tubular member 51A is adjusted vertically it is held in position by frictional contact. In addition, to enable easy insertion of tubular member 51A in position over the elongated member 45A the member 45A has a wedge-shaped or tapered upper end provided with tapered side edges 55A.

Thus, it is seen that the tee 10A has means enabling vertical adjustment of the annular ball support 16A to an infinite number of vertical positions. In addition, the tee 10A is also constructed so that once it is overturned it will collapse to the flat configuration illlustrated in FIG. 8.

In the presentation of FIG. 7, the member 45A of tee 10A is shown as being made or rubber; however, it will be appreciated that the components of tee 10A may be made of any suitable material such as paper. cardboard, natural rubber compounds, synthetic rubber compounds, other suitable elastomeric materials such as plastic, etc.

Another exemplary embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 9 of the drawing which illustrates a tee construction or tee which is very similar to the tee l0, and, in a similar manner as before will be designated generally by the reference numeral 108. The tee 10B is shown in a substantially flattened configuration after having been overturned.

The tee 10B is made of a single piece of material bisected by an integral weakening means in the form of a reduced thickness portion 60B so that the construction defines a pair of substantially flat parts 118. The reduced thickness portion 608 hingedly fastens the identical parts together in a similar manner as the fasteners 21 fasten the parts 11 of the tee 10 together. The reduced thickness portion 608 thus allows the tee 108 to be arranged on its base 148 so that arcuate ball supporting surfaces 178 thereof may support a ball thereon in a similar manner as previously described for the tee 10.

The tee 10B may be made of similar materials as described for the tees l0 and 10A and such materials will not be repeated at this point. In addition, the reduced thickness portion 608 may be defined by forming the material with a reduced thickness or by suitably scoring the material to define such reduced thickness portion.

As in the case of the tees l0 and 10A the tee 10B is adapted to automatically collapse into a substantially flat configuration and such flat configuration may be with the parts 11B arranged roughly coplanar as illustrated in FIG. 9 or with the parts 118 folded flatly against each other.

In this connection it will be appreciated that the tee 10 need not necessarily be provided with the fastening string 24 and in this instance the tee 10 could automatically collapse into the configuration illustrated in FIG. 5 or into a configuration having its parts 11 arranged coplanar.

Various materials of the character mentioned may be used to make the tees 10, 10A and 10B; however, regardless of the particular material selected it should be light in weight so that the entire tee is easily knocked over once it is struck by a bat, tipped by a bat hitting the ball, or struck by a person or other means. Further, the material used is preferably such that it can take repeated blows without damage whereby the tee may be used for one or more baseball seasons.

The tees l0 and 10A may be sold as a kit to be assembled by user. Further, and because of the inexpensive nature thereof the tees 10, WA, and 10B may be given away free as an incentive to buy a ball bat, baseball, ball glove, baseball equipment, or combinations of these items.

It will also be appreciated that the tees 10, 10A, and 108 may be offered in different colors corresponding to the team colors of a particular team which may be popular in any given area.

The tee 10 is shown placed on a home plate of a ball diamond; however, it will be appreciated that the tees 10, 10A, and 108 may be used on any type of surface whether a dirt surface, a grassy surface, or any other suitable playing surface such as an indoor gymnasium where a suitable lightweight ball may be used. In addition, the tees 10, 10A, and 108 may be arranged each with its forward edge facing toward the pitchers mound as in FIGS. 3 and 4 or facing in any desired direction.

While present exemplary embodiments of this invention, and methods of practicing the same, have been illustrated and described it will be recognized that this invention may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A baseball and softball ball tee construction having a base for supporting said construction in an upright manner and having a ball support for supporting thereon a ball having an external diameter within the range of the diameter of a standard baseball to the diameter of a standard softball, said ball support being sized and shaped such that said ball overhangs same at all supporting locations enabling easy striking in a generally upwardly direction from said base by a batter and in any direction about the entire periphery of said tee construction and at a vertical height above said base in a ball strike zone which is at least equal to a vertical height defined by the batters knees, at least the major part of said base automatically collapsing into a substantially flat configuration by its own weight when said tee construction is overturned.

2. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said entire tee construction is adapted to automatically collapse into a substantially flat configuration when said tee constructionis overturned.

3. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said construction comprises two substantially flat parts hinged together at adjacent edges thereof whereby said two parts are adapted to fold together at said adjacent edges into said flat configuration.

4. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said two parts are substantially identical to each other.

5. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said parts are adapted to be disposed at an angle relative to each other at said hinged edges thereof whereby the lower ends of said angled parts define said base of said tee construction and the upper ends of said angled parts are adapted to support said ball thereon to define said ball support of said tee construction.

6. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein said construction has means limiting the size of the angle defined between said parts when said parts are unfolded relative to each other at said adjacent edges thereof.

7. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said construction is made of a single piece of material effectively bisected by weakening means into a pair of substantially identical flat parts, said weakening means hingedly fastening said identical parts together.

8. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base comprises two substantially flat parts hinged together at adjacent edges thereof whereby said two parts are adapted to fold together at said adjacent edges into said flat configuration.

9. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ball support is vertically adjustable to an infinite number of positions relative to said base.

10. A ball t'ee construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base comprises two substantially flat parts and said tee construction further comprises an elongated flat strip fastened in sandwiched relation between adjacent edges of said flat parts and a tubular member adjustably carried by said elongated flat strip at the upper end thereof, said tubular member having an annular top surface defining said ball support, said flat parts being adapted to fold together at said adjacent edges against opposed surfaces of said elongated flat strip into said flat configuration. 

1. A baseball and softball ball tee construction having a base for supporting said construction in an upright manner and having a ball support for supporting thereon a ball having an external diameter within the range of the diameter of a standard baseball to the diameter of a standard softball, said ball support being sized and shaped such that said ball overhangs same at all supporting locations enabling easy striking in a generally upwardly direction from said base by a batter and in any direction about the entire periphery of said tee construction and at a vertical height above said base in a ball strike zone which is at least equal to a vertical height defined by the batter''s knees, at least the major part of said base automatically collapsing into a substantially flat configuration by its own weight when said tee construction is overturned.
 2. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said entire tee construction is adapted to automatically collapse into a substantially flat configuration when said tee construction is overturned.
 3. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said construction comprises two substantially flat parts hinged together at adjacent edges thereof whereby said two parts are adapted to fold together at said adjacent edges into said flat configuration.
 4. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said two parts are substantially identical to each other.
 5. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said parts are adapted to be disposed at an angle relative to each other at said hinged edges thereof whereby the lower enDs of said angled parts define said base of said tee construction and the upper ends of said angled parts are adapted to support said ball thereon to define said ball support of said tee construction.
 6. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein said construction has means limiting the size of the angle defined between said parts when said parts are unfolded relative to each other at said adjacent edges thereof.
 7. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said construction is made of a single piece of material effectively bisected by weakening means into a pair of substantially identical flat parts, said weakening means hingedly fastening said identical parts together.
 8. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base comprises two substantially flat parts hinged together at adjacent edges thereof whereby said two parts are adapted to fold together at said adjacent edges into said flat configuration.
 9. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ball support is vertically adjustable to an infinite number of positions relative to said base.
 10. A ball tee construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base comprises two substantially flat parts and said tee construction further comprises an elongated flat strip fastened in sandwiched relation between adjacent edges of said flat parts and a tubular member adjustably carried by said elongated flat strip at the upper end thereof, said tubular member having an annular top surface defining said ball support, said flat parts being adapted to fold together at said adjacent edges against opposed surfaces of said elongated flat strip into said flat configuration. 